Eggs are wonderful. They can be prepared in dozens of ways, used in hundreds of dishes, and while they’re deceptively simple to make, they’re surprisingly difficult to get right. We sat down with a few chefs to find out what makes eggs so versatile but so difficult, and how you can up your egg game at home.

Sure, anyone can poach an egg, but there’s a reason chefs spend a lot of time learning how to do it perfectly. Frying an egg looks easy, but that perfect fried egg can be elusive—and it’s pretty easy to screw up at home if you aren’t well practiced. We have entire guides dedicated to better egg cooking, and have posted more egg hacks and tricks than we can count. So why do we love the humble egg so much, and what makes it difficult to master? Much of it boils down to how accessible and versatile the egg is.

]]>Originally posted on Lifehacker.com: <p class="first-text" data-textannotation-id="a1314885650511b62d2e186dc092feb0">Eggs are wonderful. They can be prepared in dozens of ways, used in hundreds of dishes, and while they&#8217;re deceptively simple to make, they&#8217;re surprisingly difficult to get right. We sat down with a few chefs to find out what makes eggs so versatile but so difficult, and how [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2015/01/chef-shaya-referenced-on-lifehacker-why-eggs-are-such-an-easily-hackable-food-but-difficult-to-get-right/feed/01400http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2015/01/chef-shaya-referenced-on-lifehacker-why-eggs-are-such-an-easily-hackable-food-but-difficult-to-get-right/GMOs 101.1: Pesticides, Roundup and Monsantohttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/CEw_1bEysTo/adviceagriculturegmoChef ShayaWed, 14 Aug 2013 15:20:54 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1371

Are We Really Ready for Roundup?

Though genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were intended to help feed the world, few people realized the impact they would eventually have on the environment. Much is still unknown about the harm that GMOs can do, but here are three things that we know for sure.

1. GMOs create superweeds

In the 1970s, Monsanto created the pesticide glyphosate under the name “Roundup,” along with glyphosate-resistant, or “Roundup Ready,” seeds. Since genetically modified (GM) crops now require pesticides, Roundup has been sprayed heavily since the crops were introduced into the US food supply. A report by the organic center shows that farmers applied an additional 318 million pounds of pesticides in the first 13 years GM crops were grown in the US.

Extensive Roundup use has created 21 strains of glyphosate-resistant weeds. These “superweeds” spread rampant throughout fields, causing a huge problem for farmers. The only way to fight superweeds is through more pesticides, creating a never-ending cycle. Pesticides not only harm the environment, but the need for greater use will also continue to push small farmers out of business, creating even more poverty.

2. GMOs harm species

Pesticides, herbicides and insecticides don’t stop at the plant. They are also found in the air, soil, and water, and they impact many species in their path. Though insecticides are meant to kill harmful insect species, they also kill beneficial species like fungi, butterflies, earthworms and lacewings that help farmers pollinate plants, recycle nutrients to the soil, and control pests.

When pesticides, herbicides and insecticides run off into waterways, they pollute the water, creating low-oxygen “dead zones” where species cannot survive. The largest dead zone in the US is off the coast of Louisiana and Texas in the Gulf of Mexico. Dead zones have become significantly worse over time, and this has left a huge impact on fishing communities that depend on these waterways.

3. GM crops can contaminate non-GM crops

GM crops can contaminate non-GM crops through cross-pollination and a number of other gene transfer methods. The more contamination occurs, the more likely it will be to occur in the future. The unintentional spread of GM seeds will aggravate environmental hazards and can lead to mislabeling of GM foods as organic.

In May 2013, the USDA announced that a strain of Monsanto’s Roundup Ready wheat was mistakenly found on an Oregon farm. The USDA has not yet approved any GM wheat for commercial use, but they allowed Monsanto to test the strains in over 100 field tests from 1998 to 2005. It is impossible to know how much of the tested GM wheat has penetrated other farms.

To Label or Not to Label?

The hottest topic regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) today is the labeling debate. Our country, not surprisingly, is divided on the issue: while some believe all products containing GMOs should be labeled, others see labeling as costly and unnecessary.

Advocates of GMO labeling believe that consumers should have the right to know what’s in their food. The government requires labels for nutrition facts, ingredients, and allergy information, so why not GMOs? 64 countries including China, Russia, and all of the EU already require labeling, as shown by this map by the Center for Food Safety. How is it that the US has fallen so far behind?

Those against labeling argue that scientists and the FDA have deemed genetically modified (GM) foods safe for consumption, so there is no reason to bother labeling (as we know, the same cannot be said for environmental impacts). They argue that labeling is expensive, and that the cost will fall on consumers and taxpayers. Furthermore, many argue that labeling adds an unnecessary level of government bureaucracy.

During 2012’s California’s election, Proposition 37, which would have required labeling for all GM foods in California, created some serious buzz about GMO policy. In the months leading up to the election, supporters of Prop 37 put up an impressive fight. Videos like OMG GMOs! and Right to Know: Vote Yes on Prop 37, both created by Food and Water Watch, circulated the Internet raising awareness about the issue.

No matter how strong the arguments for Prop 37 were, advocates were unable to compete against the resources of big food companies. In the months leading up to the election, the food industry spent more than $45 million dollars fighting Prop 37. Monsanto alone spent more than $8 million. In “Prop 37 take home lesson: the power of money in politics,” Marion Nestle describes just how influential these companies were. As soon as their television ad campaigns began, she writes, the polling results shifted dramatically in favor of not labeling.

Though Prop 37 did not pass, the labeling conversation is only beginning. Since the election, more and more states have expressed interest in GMO labeling. This has instilled fear in big food companies who fought against labeling in California, because these companies cannot afford to continue the anti-labeling fight in every state. Also, if GMO labeling passes in some states but not others, manufacturers would need to create separate food labels for different states, which would be tremendously expensive.

As a result, many of the big food companies who are responsible for the hyper concentration of our food system have actually begun to publicly support labeling. In January, representatives from 20 of the biggest names in food, including Wal-Mart, General Mills, PepsiCo, and Coca-Cola met with the FDA to discuss the issue. This has been a huge step forward, and I can’t wait to see what happens over the next few years.

]]><p></p> Are We Really Ready for Roundup? <p>Though genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were intended to help feed the world, few people realized the impact they would eventually have on the environment. Much is still unknown about the harm that GMOs can do, but here are three things that we know for sure.</p> 1. GMOs create [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/08/gmos-101-1-pesticides-roundup-and-monsanto/feed/01371http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/08/gmos-101-1-pesticides-roundup-and-monsanto/GMOs 101: Genetically Modified Organisms – What are they?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/-_fUABkc1QA/adviceagriculturegmoChef ShayaSun, 04 Aug 2013 10:26:43 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1349

Intro

The day before Hurricane Sandy hit, my mom and I agreed to spend the afternoon making a batch of chicken soup. Wandering the aisles of Fairway, I handed her a beautiful 5-pound roasting chicken. “I’m not buying that,” she told me, “It’s so expensive. Go grab the one that’s not organic.” I gave her my best you’re-about-to-get-a-lecture stare, and we spent the coming days stuck inside with no lights, internet, or cell service but plenty of time to discuss organic foods. In our society, even educated and/or affluent individuals still choose conventional food over more expensive organic food. With so much conflicting information, a lack of understanding makes it seemingly impossible to make the “right” choice. My mom was right, organic is more expensive, but that’s not the only thing to consider. It is important to understand the impact that pesticide-sprayed genetically modified foods has on us as individuals, as well as its more global repercussions. I will not tell you how to eat, but I will provide you with the facts so that you can make informed decisions about food.

History of GMOs

Since the beginning of agriculture, we have selectively bred plants for specific traits. By collecting and planting seeds from the most desirable yield, farmers have been able to create crops that are drastically different in flavor and appearance than their ancestors. Now our tomatoes are redder, our corncobs are larger, and our apples are sweeter than ever before. In the mid-twentieth century, the discovery of DNA took selective breeding in a new direction. For the first time in history, people were able to genetically modify (GM) a plant’s genes in order to create an entirely different crop. For example, scientists could splice a gene from a winter flounder and add it to a tomato plant in order to create a tomato that could survive a winter frost. By genetically altering a plant’s DNA, we have created what we now refer to as genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GM plants became widespread during the “Green Revolution,” a revolution in breeding methods in the 1960s. In order to combat hunger in developing nations, scientists cloned high-yield crop varieties that responded better to controlled irrigation and fertilizers. The high-yield seeds were planted on massive fields so that food production would quickly increase. The Green Revolution spread quickly throughout the world, as countries like Mexico, India and the Philippines quickly adopted these new, GM plants. The US introduced GMOs into the commercial food supply in 1996, and they have increased rapidly since. According to Food and Water Watch, U.S. cultivation of GMOs grew “from only 7 percent of soybean acres and 1 percent of corn acres in 1996, to 94 percent of soybean and 88 percent of corn acres in 2011.” Today, most processed foods – except those with a USDA Organic label – contain GMOs.

More Food and More Hunger?

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have greatly increased the amount of food we produce. In 1998, we had enough grain alone to provide every person with thirty-five hundred calories a day (World Hunger: 12 Myths, Frances Moore Lappe, p. 8). Even with great population growth in the last 15 years, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN states that global production is still high enough to feed all seven billion humans. However, according to the World Food Programme, more than one in eight people do not get enough to eat. How is it that with increased food production, we’re also seeing an increase in hunger? GMOs have increased hunger in two ways. First, the capital-intensive nature of modern farming has left small farmers unable to compete with the resources available to large corporations. For GM crops to grow to their full potential, they require extensive amounts of fertilizer, irrigation, herbicides and pesticides. As farming transitioned into capital-intensive, GMO-crop farming over the last few decades, many farmers were forced out of the industry because small farms could not afford the necessary technologies to compete with large, modern farms. With no skill set and nowhere else to turn, farmers, who once made up a large portion of the population, ended up impoverished and oftentimes hungry. Second, GMOs have exacerbated poverty and social inequality, leaving many unable to afford food. Over time, large corporations took over the food industry, and wealth became concentrated in the hands of a powerful few. The massive biotechnology corporation Monsanto, for example, now controls a huge portion of the food production industry (Foodopoly, Wenonah Hauter, p. 239). Monsanto has patented seeds, technologies, and weed control products to maintain their stronghold, which has created obstacles for smaller companies. Like biotechnology companies, food retailers have contributed to the concentration of wealth in our food system. For example, 50% of all US groceries were purchased from Walmart, Kroger, Costco and Target in 2012 (Foodopoly, p. 69). Over time, large businesses have forced small businesses to close, pushing many into poverty.

]]><p></p> Intro <p>The day before Hurricane Sandy hit, my mom and I agreed to spend the afternoon making a batch of chicken soup. Wandering the aisles of Fairway, I handed her a beautiful 5-pound roasting chicken. “I’m not buying that,” she told me, “It’s so expensive. Go grab the one that’s not organic.” I gave [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/08/gmos-101-genetically-modified-organisms-what-are-they/feed/01349http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/08/gmos-101-genetically-modified-organisms-what-are-they/When Buying Olive Oil – The Cultivar is Kinghttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/Az5gRxvg0Z4/advicecookingoiloliveChef ShayaThu, 01 Aug 2013 08:33:05 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1339We previously discussed the challenges in buying high-quality and fresh olive oil in the article Beware! The Olive Oil You’re Using May Not be What You Think!and stressed the importance of harvest dates. While that is still important, there are still a number of other factors that should be taken into consideration when selecting an olive oil.

the harvest date (which we’ve previously discussed, the closer you are to it, the better),

the region in which the olives were harvested (not just the country – as we know from wine, even the difference of a few feet where the olives are cultivated can hugely impact the final product), and

the cultivar (which olives the oil is composed of, the analog to wine would be varietal).

If any of those 3 essential elements are not present on the bottle, it reflects poorly on that brand of olive oil, and perhaps it would be better to reconsider its purchase.

As far as harvest dates are concerned, northern hemisphere harvests tend to occur in the fall, so harvest dates should be on or around the end of October through November. Once you open a bottle, however, it’s best to use it within 60 days, otherwise the quality begins to depreciate dramatically, and like wine, it’s best to store it somewhere dark and cool (away from your stove).

As far as labeling is concerned, good quality oils will be proud to advertise the region in which they were produced. Consequently, labels such as “Product of Italy” are suspect, as they are often blends of oils from no specific region (sometimes, from all over the world) and they’re being processed, bottled and shipped out of Italy.

Like wine, cooking with oil also has its rules. High temperatures will destroy the delicate and nuanced flavors, so don’t cook with very expensive olive oil (keep that for salads or cold-use finishes). Since extra-virgin olive oil has a smoking point of about 400° F, it’s best to slowly heat your oil by starting it in a cold pan, bringing it to a gentle simmer to preserve its flavor.

Now that you know what to look for on a label when purchasing your olive oil, what do you look for when you have the opportunity to actually taste and evaluate the oil before you purchase? Well, here are some tips:

taste the olive oil alone, so as not to influence its flavor

official tastings employ the use of blue-tinted glasses that are shaped to fit in the palm of your hand so the warmth of your body can release the fine aromas (like a cognac glass). You obviously don’t need to carry that around, but the principles are the same

sniff the oil as you would with wine

sip/slurp the oil as you would with wine, employing the same aeration techniques to help imbue your mouth and nasal cavity with the flavors and aromas

note the pungency, or a peppery burn in the back of your throat – this indicates the presence of a powerful antioxidant called oleocanthal

note its attributes – what are its smells and flavors? do you taste green apple skin? fresh cut grass? banana? The variety of odors, aromas and flavors are as varied as what are found in wine – depending on what you taste will help you determine what would be the best oil pairing for the dish you’re looking to prepare

]]><p>We previously discussed the challenges in buying high-quality and fresh olive oil in the article Beware! The Olive Oil You’re Using May Not be What You Think! and stressed the importance of harvest dates. While that is still important, there are still a number of other factors that should be taken into consideration when selecting [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/08/when-buying-olive-oil-the-cultivar-is-king/feed/01339http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/08/when-buying-olive-oil-the-cultivar-is-king/How to Prevent Your [Insert Produce Here] From Turning Brown!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/DYrhWpCiDn4/advicehoneypreservationbrowningfruitsproducevegetablesChef ShayaWed, 26 Jun 2013 08:53:18 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1315We’ve all been there. Browned apples, browned avocados, browned potatoes, browned artichokes (this one the most!)….I mean, the list goes on. And, we’ve all tried the various tips and tricks that seem to help, at least a bit. Lemon juice, immersed in water, immersed in water mixed with lemon juice. The thinking was that the acid and the water would act as a barrier against the oxygen in the air and help prevent, or at least slow down, the browning. And it does help, but not as much as we’d like.

Luckily for us, the professionals at America’s Test Kitchen discovered a secret that provides us with some long-term anti-browning techniques that really pack a punch! Believe it or not, the secret ingredient is…..Honey! At first, I thought, “yeah, sure…that makes sense…honey’s highly acidic and it’s thick so I can see how that works….but I’m not sure about how it will impact the taste, and while I can see apples and honey being best friends, I’m not sure if I’m so quick to dip some artichokes or raw potatoes in honey…”

The science behind it, however, has nothing to do with the acidic pH of honey. Instead, it delves deeper into the process of browning: an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase is responsible for the browning of fruit. A peptide compound present in honey interrupts this process and prevents the enzyme from doing its job. In order to achieve these amazing results, follow the following recipe:

Mix together:

2 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Cup Water

According to ATK’s results, even a short immersion of 30 seconds of apple slices in the honeyed-water solution resulted in 8 hours of bright, non-browned apples! A few minutes longer, and the apples will remain un-browned for at least 24 hours. Keep this in mind for the next fruit salad you’re preparing for that picnic!

]]><p>We&#8217;ve all been there. Browned apples, browned avocados, browned potatoes, browned artichokes (this one the most!)&#8230;.I mean, the list goes on. And, we&#8217;ve all tried the various tips and tricks that seem to help, at least a bit. Lemon juice, immersed in water, immersed in water mixed with lemon juice. The thinking was that the [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/06/how-to-prevent-your-insert-produce-here-from-turning-brown/feed/01315http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/06/how-to-prevent-your-insert-produce-here-from-turning-brown/Healthier Baking Substitutions!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/dyB8DCIc6A0/advicebakingHealthhealthysubstitutionsChef ShayaSun, 16 Jun 2013 09:00:41 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1302I recently came across a great infographic on Greatist.com detailing out usable and healthier substitutions that may be used in certain baking situations. It shows you how to substitute out some amounts of sugar with applesauce or even vanilla, how to use coconut flour for pancakes over the full amount of flour. All of the suggestions, if they work, are really excellent ways of lowering the caloric intake of the baked good at hand, and in some cases, even ramping up the nutritional value. Use it for what it’s worth….at minimum, it’s really pretty to look at!

]]><p>I recently came across a great infographic on Greatist.com detailing out usable and healthier substitutions that may be used in certain baking situations. It shows you how to substitute out some amounts of sugar with applesauce or even vanilla, how to use coconut flour for pancakes over the full amount of flour. All of the [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/06/healthier-baking-substitutions/feed/01302http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/06/healthier-baking-substitutions/Photos from the 2nd Annual LI Kosher BBQ Championship!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/yb6nnjtEJ48/barbecuebbqkosherchampionshipslong islandChef ShayaWed, 12 Jun 2013 08:34:31 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1274

It was with great pleasure that I was invited to judge the 2nd Annual LI Kosher BBQ Championship. This year, they added a new category to the panel. We had to judge Chicken, Beans, Ribs and Brisket. The competition was fierce and everyone really stepped up their game. Can’t wait for next year!

MEATzva Girlz Booth

Marvin Rembo ע”ש, the founder of the LI Kosher BBQ Championship passed away days before the 2nd championship. This true altruist has set in motion an amazing event, his legacy will live on.

Plaque in Memory of Marvin Rembo, the founder of the LI Kosher BBQ Event

Fifty Shades of Flayshik Booth

The Ribs Entry of the Competition

The Sacrificial Brisket Booth

The Sacrificial Brisket’s Turkey on a Spit

The Grillin Tefillin Saloon Booth

Hakadosh Barbeque/Got Cholent’s Booth

]]><p style="text-align: center;"></p> <p>It was with great pleasure that I was invited to judge the 2nd Annual LI Kosher BBQ Championship. This year, they added a new category to the panel. We had to judge Chicken, Beans, Ribs and Brisket. The competition was fierce and everyone really stepped up their game. Can&#8217;t wait for next [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/06/photos-from-the-2nd-annual-li-kosher-bbq-championship/feed/01274http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/06/photos-from-the-2nd-annual-li-kosher-bbq-championship/Fresh Produce is Always Better, Right?!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/0JlQVS9Q6tw/cannednutritionproduceChef ShayaThu, 06 Jun 2013 06:16:35 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1268 That’s a pretty reasonable statement, right? Fresh produce is almost always better for you – nutritionally – than canned or jarred. Or is it? According to the New York Times, recent studies have shown that frozen or canned produce – provided they didn’t add any preserving salts and sugars – are as good as (and in some cases, even better) than their fresh counterparts!

Well! That’s somewhat of a mind-blowing discovery! But how can that be? The reason is actually pretty simple. By the time most commercially provided fresh produce actually hits the market, enough time has surpassed from when it was picked that many of the nutrients you would have received had you eaten it when it was picked was lost. Most of the nutritional degradation occurs during shipping, and while it sits in storage for days before it hits the shelves.

In some cases, the canned produce had better nutritional value since fresh produce often loses nutrients more rapidly than canned (largely due to the fact that they’re protected by the deteriorating effects of oxygen).

Looks like if you really want to get the best nutritional bang for your buck is to purchase seasonal produce from Green Markets, where the model is local and freshly picked. That said, canned fruits and vegetables aren’t as bad as their reputation would have us believe.

]]><p> That&#8217;s a pretty reasonable statement, right? Fresh produce is almost always better for you &#8211; nutritionally &#8211; than canned or jarred. Or is it? According to the New York Times, recent studies have shown that frozen or canned produce &#8211; provided they didn&#8217;t add any preserving salts and sugars &#8211; are as good as [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/06/fresh-produce-is-always-better-right/feed/01268http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/06/fresh-produce-is-always-better-right/Poached Eggs, How do I Love Thee? Let me…Ew! What’s all that white stuff?!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/qZmHFs8JhVA/advicecookingeggspoachedChef ShayaMon, 04 Mar 2013 07:45:27 PSThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1245Seriously, who doesn’t love a poached egg? I mean, not everyone enjoys or even knows how to make them [well], but I find this is a perfect opportunity to share with you the secrets to a properly made poached egg.

I was asked to cook a few poached eggs a while back for an article written on the Joy of Kosher website by the JCC in Manhattan so they could get some nice poached egg shots. I even commented on the article on some good tips for poaching eggs, which I will share with you, but had I known a secret or two, I could have gotten perfect poached eggs each and every time. Here are a few tips:

Use the freshest eggs possible – farm to table if you shop at the farmer’s markets! The fresher the egg, the more consolidated it is and the less albumen run-off you’ll have when you drop it into the water. You can easily check if your eggs are fresh by placing the egg in a large measuring cup filled with water. If the egg sinks to the bottom on its side, it’s relatively fresh. If it floats to the top (or very near it) or sinks to the bottom but on its point, the egg is a little older and may not poach as well.

Poaching temperature is around the 140° F mark. The best way I’ve found to determine the proper temperature is that a film of tiny little bubbles will form on the surface of your pan or pot – that means the water is hot enough to cook the contents but not too hot that the water will begin to boil or simmer which will break the egg apart. Keep in mind, if you poach multiple eggs at a time, each egg you place in the water will lower the temperature of the entire pan so you may want to be slightly hotter as you add your eggs.

Don’t add salt to your poaching liquid for eggs. Salt in the water breaks eggs apart, especially the albumen (white). Acidulating (adding some acid) the water forces a reaction in the egg to “cook” it faster. Try it! Try adding some vinegar over a raw egg – it’ll begin to “cook” before your eyes. If you only add a few tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice to your pan, it won’t impart too much of a flavor (if any) and can really help to solidify your egg. This is especially useful if you’re making a batch of eggs. You can easily get a second pot or wide pan hot with salted water after you’ve poached the egg to quickly dip it into in order to wash off the acid flavor and give it some salt. Great way to reheat poached eggs as well!

I love the swirling-the-water method! Using a spoon, swirl the water in the pot or pan around to create a vortex, then gently drop your egg into the center of the swirl. It helps to gather all the egg together onto itself. It really does work…but only for the first egg.

Two inches of water is generally a good starting point, but it really depends on the size and shape of the pan that you use. You really want to make sure that you have enough water to completely immerse your egg. Also, I found that a wider pan deep enough to submerse an egg is easier to work with when you use a slotted spoon.

According to an article on Serious Eats, a tip via renown British chef, Heston Blumenthal (how do you like that for provenance?), the one and only real foolproof tip to perfectly poached eggs is……a rounded fine mesh sieve. Yep, just a sieve. If you watch the video, you’ll see how such a simple tool actually makes a lot of sense and you can wonder at its efficacy. You see, even fresh eggs have some loose albumen (egg whites), and older eggs have much more. By breaking an egg into a rounded fine mesh sieve, you can strain all the loose albumen and the tight albumen that surrounds the yolk won’t drip through. Once all the loose liquid is strained off, you can gently immerse the raw egg directly into the hot water (which at this point, you probably don’t need to acidulate, but I would still hold off on salting the water, just in case) and the proceed to poach through gentle coaxing. This will eliminate virtually all the wisps of loose, gross egg whites that cloud the water and will result in a beautifully egg-shaped poached egg! You should give it a try!

]]><p>Seriously, who doesn&#8217;t love a poached egg? I mean, not everyone enjoys or even knows how to make them [well], but I find this is a perfect opportunity to share with you the secrets to a properly made poached egg.</p> <p>I was asked to cook a few poached eggs a while back for an article [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/03/poached-eggs-how-do-i-love-thee-let-me-ew-whats-all-that-white-stuff/feed/01245http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/03/poached-eggs-how-do-i-love-thee-let-me-ew-whats-all-that-white-stuff/Eating with your Eyes Changes what your Tongue May Tastehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/EgEj61xdHXQ/foodtastecolorChef ShayaMon, 07 Jan 2013 11:39:30 PSThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1216It’s no secret that we “eat with our eyes” first. In fact, it’s the basis for gourmet restaurants everywhere. Tremendous care is taken when “plating” a dish with painstaking detail. Concentric rings of chocolate? A swish of sauce? Towering salads? All of these elements are thought about and multiple “drafts” of a dish’s plating design are created until a final plate is determine – all to maximize the visual pleasure of the dish.

When you’re sitting at the table of one of these fine dining establishments, and the plate is placed in front of you by the server, then rotated to face you properly – it’s because that’s how the chef intended for you to first view the dish and maybe even entices you to start eating it in a specific way. Of course, the minute that plate is in front of you and the server walks away, suddenly the other dinner guests (including the ones you’re dining with) disappear into the blurred background. All you can sense is the dish in front of you – the beauty of its composition, the play of negative space on the plate, the aromas of those delicate flavors slowly wafting up into your face. Your mouth is already salivating (of course, you’re too polite to let it show), but your eyes cannot hold back. The base, lustful desire to just tear into that dish – with dignity of course – is just splayed across your face.

Well, turns out, how a dish looks can actually influence the perceived flavors of the dish – it may even enhance some flavors over others! A recent study, conducted by Polytechnic University of Valencia and Oxford University published in the Journal of Sensory Studies, has determined that the color of the vessel or plate will actually change the perceived flavors. Their test with 57 participants indicated that hot chocolate served in an orange- or cream-colored mug made the beverage taste “better” – i.e., “tasted sweeter and was much more aromatic.”

Betina Piqueras-Fiszman, one of the authors of the study, is quoted as saying:

The color of the container where you serve food and drinks can enhance some of its attributes, like flavor and aroma. There’s no fixed rule to tell which color enhances what food. This varies depending on the type of food but the truth is that the effect is there. Companies should pay more attention to the container because it has a lot more potential than what you imagine.

Interesting….Additional experiments indicated, for example, that strawberry mousse tasted more intense or sweeter when served on a white plate as opposed to a black one. Interestingly, lemon-based beverages taste “more refreshing and lemony” in a blue vessel, whereas the same beverage in a pink vessel was perceived as being sweeter. Coffee too is a slave to this phenomenon: brown makes it taste stronger and more aromatic, red reduces it’s perceived strength, and yellow/blue make it taste smoother. This opens up a whole new bag of marketing strategies…..

]]><p>It&#8217;s no secret that we &#8220;eat with our eyes&#8221; first. In fact, it&#8217;s the basis for gourmet restaurants everywhere. Tremendous care is taken when &#8220;plating&#8221; a dish with painstaking detail. Concentric rings of chocolate? A swish of sauce? Towering salads? All of these elements are thought about and multiple &#8220;drafts&#8221; of a dish&#8217;s plating design [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/01/eating-with-your-eyes-changes-what-your-tongue-may-taste/feed/21216http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2013/01/eating-with-your-eyes-changes-what-your-tongue-may-taste/Superfine or Confectioner’s Sugar is Hiding in your Granulated….http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/66BhSu9vUq0/adviceeconomicalfoodrecipessugarChef ShayaThu, 27 Dec 2012 10:47:32 PSThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1193
So you’re going through your recipes and you discover that it calls for superfine and/or confectioner’s sugar. Ok. You check your pantry, and you seem to be out of both. First of all, what’s the difference? Well, in order of coarsness to fineness, here are the variety of readily-available “white” sugars (as opposed to [light] brown sugars which have molasses added to them):

Demerara Sugar – also known as “Sugar in the Raw”

Granulated – the good ol’ kind we use for almost everything

Superfine – slightly smaller crystals of sugar, but not quite a powder

Confectioner’s – a fine white powder, usually with some form of starch (usually corn) in it to prevent it from clumping

Ok, so now that we know the difference, do you need to go out and buy some of what the recipe calls for? Turns out, you don’t! Both Superfine and Confectioner’s sugar are just processed granulated sugar – something you can easily do at home with simple appliances like a food processor and a blender/spice grinder.

According to America’s Test Kitchen, making these yourself at home are exactly the same as the store-bought, commercially processed variety.

Recipe for Superfine Sugar

Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients & Equipment

1 cup + 2 tsp granulated sugar

Food processor

Preparation:

Process on high for 30 seconds.

Recipe for Confectioner’s Sugar

Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients & Equipment

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp corn starch

Blender or Spice grinder

Preparation:

Combine both ingredients into a blender or spice grinder and pulverize for at least 1 whole minute, or until completely powdered.

Sift through a fine-mesh sieve/strainer to eliminate large particles

Yes…it’s really that simple! Now go and process sugar to your heart’s content!

]]><p> So you&#8217;re going through your recipes and you discover that it calls for superfine and/or confectioner&#8217;s sugar. Ok. You check your pantry, and you seem to be out of both. First of all, what&#8217;s the difference? Well, in order of coarsness to fineness, here are the variety of readily-available &#8220;white&#8221; sugars (as opposed to [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/12/superfine-or-confectioners-sugar-is-hiding-in-your-granulated/feed/01193http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/12/superfine-or-confectioners-sugar-is-hiding-in-your-granulated/Beware! The Olive Oil You’re Using May Not be What You Think!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/gOGyXnfIl1w/adviceagriculturekosheroiloliveChef ShayaMon, 10 Dec 2012 12:46:03 PSThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1184As food consumers with discerning tastes and palates, we’re constantly on the look out for the best quality we can find. It stands to reason that olive oil is no exception – in fact, we may be even more selective with the brands of olive oil we use than with any other ingredient. Perhaps it’s because it’s so good for you, or maybe the delicate flavor makes all the difference in your salad. There must be a reason that the olive oil tasting bowls at markets such as Fairway and Whole Foods as well as at Farmers Markets are so popular. In fact, Jews revere olive oil every year during the holiday of Chanukah, the Festival of Lights – commemorating the miracle of the single bottle of olive oil that burned for 8 days (since we’re celebrating Chanukah this week, don’t forget to try my recipes: Zucchini Latkes with Sage and Pine Nut Yoghurt Sauce or Roasted Gingered Carrot Latkes (scroll down)).

Of course, we think to ourselves, ‘Domestic oil? Nah! The imported stuff is much better! Besides, Europeans have a history of cultivating this product.’ But, just like how Chateau Montelena in California won a blind contest by a panel of Parisian judges in 1976, the U.S. is making an impact on the olive oil industry, and the results are surprisingly good. In fact, producers in California and Texas are now among the top sought-after in the market! You’d think with such high acclaim, they’d have a larger piece of the domestic pie – yet they don’t.

According to NPR host, Allison Aubrey, foreign importers aren’t being as forthcoming as we’ve been led to believe. In fact, a study by Consumer Reports indicates that some of the most recognizable brands (I’m sure you have it in your pantry now) just don’t make the cut when it comes to quality, even though their labeling indicates ‘Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.’ A startling 2/3 of olive oil sold as ‘Extra Virgin’ in the U.S. fail to meet the legal definitions of the grade – whoa! For kosher-keeping Jews who hold by purchasing olive oils that have the label ‘100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil’ to be kosher, beware!

So, as consumers who have the power to shape the industry with the sword of our dollar, what do we do? The answer is simple and one you probably already know – read the label. But what to look for? Harvest dates on the bottle. Unlike wine, olive oils have essential flavonoids and nutrients (such as polyphenols) that break down as they age – so you want to get it as fresh as possible. Unsurprisingly, many foreign imported olive oils fail to supply that date on their labels….hhmm….

Of course, like everything else, the North American Olive Oil Association (NAOOA) – which represent the industry in the U.S., not just domestic producers – seem to think that mislabeled imported oils is a bit of an exaggeration. Of course they do. Ultimately, I don’t have the answer to whether they do or they don’t – but to me transparency (read: honesty) is the best policy. And if domestic producers are meeting the needs and challenges of creating high-quality extra-virgin olive oils and they’re supplying labeling to indicate harvest dates….well, then I may just be more inclined to buy that brand over, say, an imported one where I don’t know how long the bottle’s been sitting somewhere, or worse, the olives themselves.

The more you know….

]]><p>As food consumers with discerning tastes and palates, we&#8217;re constantly on the look out for the best quality we can find. It stands to reason that olive oil is no exception &#8211; in fact, we may be even more selective with the brands of olive oil we use than with any other ingredient. Perhaps it&#8217;s [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/12/beware-the-olive-oil-youre-using-may-not-be-what-you-think/feed/21184http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/12/beware-the-olive-oil-youre-using-may-not-be-what-you-think/92nd St Y, Smokey Joe’s & Fairway Market’s 1st Annual Kosher Grilling Challengehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/zULAXSFbUVE/barbecuebbqcompetitionkosherChef ShayaWed, 05 Sep 2012 14:40:14 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1150

Chef Shaya Klechevsky invited to participate on a panel of judges for the 92nd Street Y, Smokey Joe’s and Fairway Market’s Inaugural Kosher Grilling Challenge on Sunday, September 23rd as part of their annual streetfest. Booths set up all along Lexington Ave.

Interested in competing?

First Prize: A Fairway Market shopping gift certificate with a value of $500
Entrants will receive 30% off the ticket price of a selected 92Y food talk sponsored by Fairway.
Choose from:

Not a griller? Not a problem! You can still enter their sweepstakes by clicking on this link: http://www.92y.org/FWSweepstakesDeadline for sweepstakes: Sun, Sep 23, 2012.

]]><p style="text-align: center;"></p> <p style="text-align: left;">Chef Shaya Klechevsky invited to participate on a panel of judges for the 92nd Street Y, Smokey Joe&#8217;s and Fairway Market&#8217;s Inaugural Kosher Grilling Challenge on Sunday, September 23rd as part of their annual streetfest. Booths set up all along Lexington Ave.</p> Interested in competing? <p>First Prize: A Fairway Market [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/09/92nd-st-y-smokey-joes-fairway-markets-1st-annual-kosher-grilling-challenge/feed/01150http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/09/92nd-st-y-smokey-joes-fairway-markets-1st-annual-kosher-grilling-challenge/Inaugural Long Island Kosher BBQ Championshiphttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/cOTAZA9TdJI/bbqInterviewkosherbarbecuelilong islandChef ShayaMon, 14 May 2012 08:00:58 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1089

I had the pleasure of speaking with Marvin Rembo, one of the organizers of the first ever Long Island Kosher Barbecue Championship. We have all seen or heard about the various barbecue competitions throughout the American South, with each state or region touting their own methods, rubs and sauces on a wide selections of meats, each competitor viciously guarding their recipes and secret ingredients in the hopes that they be crowned the winner. Of course, these kinds of culinary festivities do not escape Jewish interest – especially when it involves brisket! And since we Jews clearly don’t have enough reason to eat, what with all our holidays and such, we now have to add to our calendars a new annual Jewish Secular Holiday – the Kosher BBQ Championship! (Don’t we usually have fast-days before major-eating holidays?)

At Your Palate: Hi Marvin, thank you for taking the time to meet with me. Tell me a little bit about the Long Island Kosher BBQ event. Who’s involved and what was the inspiration for this event?

Marvin Rembo: Hi Chef, thanks for giving me the opportunity to talk a little about this unique event. About a year ago I read in one of the Jewish papers about the World Kosher BBQ Championship in Memphis and it just blew me away. I always loved watching the TV BBQ shows and to know there was a kosher one available was a complete surprise. I promised myself right then and there that I was going to be in Memphis the following Sept 18th. The rest is history!

AYP: Wow that’s very cool. What was the Memphis competition like and how did that inspire you to bring this event to Long Island?

MR: What was crazy was that the shul in Memphis had been doing it for 22 years and this past year they had 45 teams competing. It was the largest Jewish gathering in Memphis each year, with the shul as the main beneficiary. I thought that if they could bring 3,000 Jews together in Memphis I am sure we could do a whole lot better in the NY area and the key for me was to address the growing hunger crisis on Long Island.

AYP: Tell me a little bit about the charities you’re looking to support and a little more about the hunger crisis on Long Island.

AYP: That is quite the staggering statistic! I had no idea that there were so many people that were in need. I think it’s really an amazing way to not only raise much needed funds for these agencies, but a great way to raise awareness about hunger through…well, food. How much of the LI competition is based on what you’ve seen and experienced when you were in Memphis?

MR: They were our inspiration and they were gracious in showing me all the ins-and-outs of what goes on behind the scenes. But what was crazy is that I met a group of people from Birmingham, Alabama who had been doing this for two years already, and another great bunch of people from Atlanta, Georgia who are like us, in the planning stage for their first event later in the year. We all loved the idea and dedicated ourselves to helping each other become successful and we developed the Kosher BBQ Circuit! Our Long Island event is now an officially sanctioned event of the World Kosher BBQ Championship.

AYP: Now THAT is cool – what a great way to bridge other Jewish communities together. But I have to ask, why BBQ? Don’t get me wrong, I love a good BBQ as much as the next guy…?

MR: Well, you never saw a person at any BBQ with a frown on. Standing around waiting for the meats to grill and smoke is a great way to meet and learn about other people. I found there are two types of people out there: Those that absolutely ‘get it’ when it comes to BBQ and the BBQ experience and those that have not yet had that experience. When I brought the idea back home the first guy I told thought I was nuts, the next five said: Hey let me help. And from that, we got our start.

AYP: Well, I’m definitely amongst the few who get it, but am very curious to see how all this is going to come together, especially since you’ve extended to me the honor of being on a panel of judges, I’m very much looking forward to the championship entries….which now brings me to my next question – how many teams do you already have registered for the championship?

MR: We are completely full. Eighteen teams are competing.

AYP: I didn’t realize there were so many people eager to compete for the title of the first LI Kosher BBQ Champion! I hope to see a lot of good natured competition between the teams. What kind of flavor diversity do you expect we’ll see at the event?

MR: We have teams coming from Miami, our friends from Atlanta, three from Brooklyn, one each from Manhattan, Yonkers and Monsey and the rest scattered from around Long Island. They range from first timers, the guys who have been told by their friends and family that they are really good cooks and they want to find out if they can cut it, and we have teams coming that do this many times a year and can be considered the ‘pros’. Two kosher caterers are going to be here and a graduate of the Kosher Culinary school in Brooklyn. A wide diverse group and who knows what flavor profiles you are going to be tasting as a judge.

AYP: You’ve gotten me very excited! I was just telling a few friends of mine today about the upcoming championship and they seemed very eager to come to the event. What are some of the other activities you have planned while the competitors are getting ready and grilling up?

MR: A-ha! that is the best part. This is a family event, not only a BBQ competition. We are very fortunate in that Fairway Market is our title sponsor. They have been instrumental in assisting us to put on an entire day of festivities. We are going to have a basketball skills competition for all ages, a Kiddie Corral with the inflatable bouncing games, a Velcro wall, and air brush tattooing for the children, a pickle and hot dog eating (speed not quantity) contest for both children and adults, live music, free health care screening and our own ‘Cowsher Café’ where our visitors can find a great kosher lunch that will include our own specialty: Pulled Brisket Sandwiches. Note: This is not the brisket your grandmother made….

AYP: Well, it’s clear you guys really thought this through and there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Now, as a personal chef myself, I often get questions about the kashruth of cooking for clients in my own kitchen. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in having to institute a kosher BBQ competition?

MR: OY vay….that was a hurdle. We wanted to be inclusive to the widest possible number of Jews. That meant finding a mashgiach that would be acceptable to almost everyone. One who would work with us to ensure that everyone who came would feel comfortable eating with us. We are thrilled, I mean we are really really proud to have Rabbi Abraham Marmorstein of Mehadrin Kashrus Kehal Minchas Chinuh, NYC as our rabbinic supervision. He is an expert in the field and has written numerous books on kashruth. He has given us strict standards and we are committed to following his every instruction to create a kosher event that will go on for years. To insure kashruth we are providing everything. The only thing a team needs to bring is the match. We have new grills for them and all utensils, knives, pots and pans are brand new and will be put away after the competition for use next year.

AYP: Certainly sounds like you’ve covered your bases – and certainly great incentive for people to enter the competition. What were some of the other hurdles that you’ve come across? Especially ones you may not have anticipated?

MR: We knew going in that this was going to be difficult but we took the attitude that we want this to happen so we will make it happen. You know, ‘If you dream it, it will be!’ So, anything that got in the way we just dealt with. Although, now that you made me think about it…we have to assemble 36 grills. That is going to be a hurdle. Cut knuckles, lots of bad words…somehow that is a task that no one is looking forward to!

AYP: Well, it certainly sounds like you went into this with the right kind of attitude and I love your good nature about it!

MR: The official activity kicks off on the Thursday night before the event. All the teams come and select their meats. They trim them and prepare their secret rubs and marinades. When they are finished, everything gets put in our refrigerator and nothing leaves the synagogue. On Saturday night at about 10:00 PM our crew starts setting up the parking lot, putting the grills and charcoal in place and about 10:30 the teams can start lighting their grills. Some teams plan to get right to it, utilizing the ‘low and slow’ method of cooking and others will show up throughout the night. By 6:00 AM all the teams are cooking, getting ready for the first judging which begins at noon.

AYP: Gotcha, sounds like you guys certainly thought of everything! I have to say, this event sounds like it’s going to be a huge hit and a great fundraiser for the charities you’ll be supporting. I know I can’t wait to be there and I’m sure many others feel as excited as I do.

MR: Thank you. Sometimes I think Eisenhower invaded Europe with less preparation than we are doing! We look forward to presenting a wonderful, family, kosher-centric event and in the end we know that we will have helped some people with real needs.

AYP: There’s no doubt in my mind that this event will exceed everyone’s expectations! Thanks for taking the time to chat with me about this truly fantastic event.

MR: I can really say…it was my pleasure and thank you for this opportunity to share the news about the LI Kosher BBQ Championship. See you on June 10th. Come hungry.

]]><p style="text-align: center;"></p> <p style="text-align: left;">I had the pleasure of speaking with Marvin Rembo, one of the organizers of the first ever Long Island Kosher Barbecue Championship. We have all seen or heard about the various barbecue competitions throughout the American South, with each state or region touting their own methods, rubs and sauces on [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/05/inaugural-long-island-kosher-bbq-championship/feed/01089http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/05/inaugural-long-island-kosher-bbq-championship/Protected: Chef Shaya & Meredith Ganzman on The Jewish Channel – Week in Reviewhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/Kyb2ZW-mAXs/healthyInterviewkreplachkugelThe Jewish ChannelChef ShayaSat, 07 Apr 2012 14:48:10 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1075

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]]>There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/04/chef-shaya-meredith-ganzman-on-the-jewish-channel-week-in-review/feed/01075http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/04/chef-shaya-meredith-ganzman-on-the-jewish-channel-week-in-review/Chef Shaya referenced on Lifehacker – Budget Kitchen Upgrades for Every Kitchen that Will Change the Way You Cook (and Eat!)http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/Pebe3J0NiM4/advicecookingInterviewChef ShayaWed, 28 Mar 2012 08:32:30 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1064

Budget Kitchen Upgrades for Every Kitchen that Will Change the Way You Cook (and Eat!)

Cooking is much more fun when you have all the right gear to make your food dreams into food reality. If you have a contentious relationship with your kitchen, the problem may have to do with things like dull knives or the wrong tools, requiring you to undertake boring, repetitive tasks to make the simplest things. We teamed up with a group of chefs to come up with a list of gear for your kitchen that will transform the way you cook—and eat—without breaking the bank.

]]><p></p> <p>&#160;</p> <p>&#160;</p> <p>&#160;</p> <p>Originally posted on Lifehacker.com:</p> Budget Kitchen Upgrades for Every Kitchen that Will Change the Way You Cook (and Eat!) <p>Cooking is much more fun when you have all the right gear to make your food dreams into food reality. If you have a contentious relationship with your kitchen, the problem may [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/03/chef-shaya-referenced-on-lifehacker-budget-kitchen-upgrades-for-every-kitchen-that-will-change-the-way-you-cook-and-eat/feed/01064http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/03/chef-shaya-referenced-on-lifehacker-budget-kitchen-upgrades-for-every-kitchen-that-will-change-the-way-you-cook-and-eat/Chef Shaya Klechevsky featured on The Jewish Channel – Clip from Week in Reviewhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/GMsBi02niiE/healthyInterviewkreplachkugelJCC in ManhattanPatti Gellman Culinary Arts CenterThe Jewish ChannelTJCChef ShayaFri, 23 Mar 2012 12:57:40 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=1038Chef Shaya Klechevsky, in cooperation with the Patti Gellman Culinary Arts Center at the JCC in Manhattan, talks about making healthier choices on classic Jewish dishes on The Jewish Channel.

Kosher Cooking Competition Finds its Champs

A matzoh-ball eating contest, a cooking demonstration and a kosher cookoff made for a lively and humor-filled evening at the Huntington Jewish Center Saturday night.

Three groups, teams Chewish, Tie Dye and Chosen, competed with each other in preparing meals that were assessed by a panel of judges. Team Chewish, consisting of Kenny and Carin Meyer, Shari Klaire and Karann Pashkin, were declared winners. Teams prepared two dishes each.

Preceding that competition was a cooking demonstration by chef Shaya Klechevsky whose cheffing company, At Your Palate, is based in Brooklyn.

A matzoh-ball eating contest seemed to fill up the contestants very quickly and led to one stopping to juggle a few of them in the air before resuming.

The evening was designed as a fundraiser for the temple and a way to raise awareness about kosher cooking. And fun.

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]]>There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/01/chef-shaya-competes-on-food-network-show-chopped/feed/0986http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2012/01/chef-shaya-competes-on-food-network-show-chopped/Chef Shaya referenced on Lifehacker – 10+ Dishes and Drinks Everyone Should Know How to Make At Home (Including You)http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AtYourPalateBlog/~3/xr3P_EhkwBY/InterviewriceguidelilfehackerChef ShayaFri, 09 Sep 2011 10:32:30 PDThttp://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/?p=948

10+ Dishes and Drinks Everyone Should Know How to Make At Home (Including You)

Alan Henry — Whether you have trouble boiling water or you know your way around an immersion circulator, there are some foods that everyone should know how to make, either because they’re delicious, they’re easy, or they require skills that will benefit you as you learn your way around the kitchen. We asked some professional chefs (and the Lifehacker team) what you should be able to make, no matter who you are, and how.

Chef Shaya Klechevsky – Basmati Rice

Chef Shaya Klechevsky, of At Your Palate and author of the At Your Palate Blog, knows his way around the professional and the home kitchen. He competed on an episode of Food Network’s competition cooking show Chopped, and is a personal chef in the New York metro area as well as a food writer. When I asked him what food he thinks everyone should be able to make, he reminded me of one of the most important gains on earth: rice.

]]><p></p> <p>&#160;</p> <p>&#160;</p> <p>&#160;</p> <p>Originally posted on Lifehacker.com:</p> 10+ Dishes and Drinks Everyone Should Know How to Make At Home (Including You) <p style="text-align: justify;">Alan Henry — Whether you have trouble boiling water or you know your way around an immersion circulator, there are some foods that everyone should know how to make, either because [...]http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2011/09/chef-shaya-referenced-on-lifehacker-10-dishes-and-drinks-everyone-should-know-how-to-make-at-home-including-you/feed/0948http://www.atyourpalate.com/blog/2011/09/chef-shaya-referenced-on-lifehacker-10-dishes-and-drinks-everyone-should-know-how-to-make-at-home-including-you/